Dozens of slender yet resilient branches instantly sprouted from the broken ends, spreading out like a spider web.
In the blink of an eye, they firmly bound his outstretched hands, wrapping tightly around his arms as well.
"What?!"
Tuoba Yu's pupils contracted sharply. He struggled several times but found the branches only tightening further.
They constricted his arms like steel cables, remaining immovable no matter how much strength he exerted.
Su Yu stood opposite him, fingertips slightly twitching as he controlled the wooden strips to continue extending.
Not only were Tuoba Yu's arms bound, but some branches also coiled up his legs, securely locking his lower body in place.
"Your strength is considerable, but you're not adept at dealing with close-range restraints," Su Yu's calm voice rang out. "No matter how high the White Armored Earth Dragon's defense is, once bound, it becomes nothing but a target."
Tuoba Yu, both shocked and furious, wildly circulated his Soul Power, attempting to harness the White Armored Earth Dragon's strength to break the wooden strips.
However, Su Yu's Wood Release seemed to form a kind of equilibrium with his Soul Power—every time Tuoba Yu exerted force, the branches would generate new offshoots to reinforce the bindings, displaying astonishing resilience.
"Damn it!"
Tuoba Yu roared in anger, the scales covering his body glowing brilliantly as he tried to intimidate Su Yu with his Dragon Might. Yet he found the other's gaze remained tranquil, completely unaffected.
Su Yu looked at Tuoba Yu, who was trussed up like a "zongzi," and lightly raised his hand:
"I concede."
The referee, seeing this, loudly announced: "Su Yu wins!"
Tuoba Yu ceased his struggles. Looking at the dense network of branches covering him, a trace of unwillingness flashed across his face, eventually transforming into a bitter smile.
Su Yu retracted his Wood Release. Tuoba Yu flexed his somewhat numb arms, his gaze toward Su Yu now holding a measure of respect:
"Your Wood Release is truly formidable."
Having said that, he turned and stepped down from the platform. Though his figure carried a hint of desolation, his back remained straight.
Below the stage, Hu Liena walked up with a smile, handing Su Yu a bottle of water:
"Brother Su Yu, congratulations!"
Su Yu accepted the water and looked at her: "Next, it's just the two of us."
A flicker of anticipation shone in Hu Liena's eyes as she nodded firmly:
"Mm! I won't admit defeat easily!"
The lingering glow of the sunset cast long shadows of the two figures on the platform. The war drums of the finals had already been struck.
"The final match of the Freshman Competition, Su Yu versus Hu Liena—who will emerge victorious? Let us wait and see!"
Su Yu and Hu Liena both stepped onto the platform. The higher-ups of the Spirit Hall in the elevated stands were filled with anticipation for this last match.
After all, both were disciples of the Pope!
"Nana, come on! You make the first move!"
"Alright! Since you said so, Brother Su Yu, I won't hold back!"
Hu Liena bounced lightly toward Su Yu, her Bewitching Fox Soul gradually materializing behind her.
"First Soul Skill: Demon Fox Bewitchment!"
Hu Liena activated her first Spirit Ability, "Demon Fox Bewitchment." Pink light swirled in her eyes, carrying a powerful mental assault directly toward Su Yu.
Su Yu's eyes narrowed slightly, then reopened, a hint of crimson appearing within his dark pupils.
A single black tomoe quietly emerged—it was his One-Tomoe Sharingan.
The moment the pink light touched his eyes, it seemed to be crushed by an invisible force, unable to penetrate in the slightest.
Hu Liena only felt the scene before her eyes abruptly change. The surrounding martial arena vanished, and she found herself in a magnificent palace instead.
Carved beams and painted rafters adorned the structure, with brocade curtains hanging high. The air was filled with the familiar scent of incense.
The palace doors gently opened, and a handsome man in casual attire walked in slowly.
The gentle smile in the man's eyes was intimately familiar to her—it was clearly Su Yu's grown-up appearance.
"Your Highness Nana, you've returned," the man said respectfully, though he couldn't conceal his closeness.
Hu Liena's heart skipped a beat, and she responded instinctively, "Mm, Little Yu, your Highness is tired. Come massage my feet."
As soon as the words left her mouth, even she felt surprised, yet there was an inexplicable sense of naturalness to it.
The scene shifted, and she was now seated on a bed covered with soft cushions, gently placing her fair feet into the man's lap.
The man's large hands were warm and strong, skillfully massaging her with practiced ease, as if he had done it countless times before.
"Your Highness Nana, is the pressure suitable?" he asked, looking up with concern filling his eyes.
"Mm! Little Yu, your skills have improved again," Hu Liena murmured, her eyes slightly narrowed as a hint of laziness washed over her.
"It would be even better if your left hand applied a bit more pressure."
"As you wish, Your Highness." The man adjusted the pressure accordingly, his fingertips applying just the right amount of force.
Meanwhile, Su Yu, standing opposite Hu Liena, watched her dreamy smile with curiosity, wondering what she was seeing in the illusion.
Su Yu extended his finger, slightly bent it, and gently flicked the center of Hu Liena's forehead!
"Nana! Time to wake up!"
Hu Liena jolted back to reality. The palace illusion shattered like broken glass, vanishing in an instant.
Staring at Su Yu who was now right in front of her, her cheeks warmed slightly. The laziness and willfulness from the illusion hadn't fully faded, and her words carried a touch of reproach:
"Little Yu! Your Highness hasn't finished enjoying it yet!"
As soon as she spoke, she realized what she had said. The tips of her ears instantly flushed pink, and she quickly turned her face away, coughing lightly to mask her embarrassment.
Su Yu watched her reaction, a flicker of amusement in his eyes, and deliberately put on a stern expression:
"Oh? Does Your Highness Nana wish to continue 'enjoying'?"
"Who—who wants to enjoy that!" Hu Liena turned around, her Bewitching Fox Soul flaring up once more. The shyness in her eyes was replaced by fighting spirit.
"That was careless of me just now. This time, I'm serious!"
As soon as she finished speaking, Hu Liena dropped into a steady horse stance, gathered Soul Power into her fist, and charged at Su Yu with a gust of fierce wind.
Her punch was swift and sharp, clearly integrating close-combat techniques into her assault.
Su Yu shifted his footing slightly, his body gliding sideways like a willow leaf in the wind, narrowly evading what seemed like an unavoidable strike.
Whether it was an instinctive reaction or the unspoken familiarity between them, as he dodged the punch, his right hand swung back and lightly swatted Hu Liena's bottom.
A soft "smack" echoed, carrying a teasing tone.
Hu Liena froze instantly, her momentum halting abruptly.
She whipped her head around, her face flushing bright red, spreading from her ears down to her neck.
Her eyes, once filled with fighting spirit, now seemed to glisten with moisture as she glared at Su Yu with a mix of anger and frustration:
"Brother Su Yu! You're playing dirty!"
"This is called catching you off guard," Su Yu replied, his eyes twinkling with even more amusement as he retreated two steps to create distance.
"It seems Nana still lacks focus."
"Humph, I'm not fighting anymore, Brother Su Yu. You're bullying me. My Spirit Ability is completely useless against you!"
"And all these techniques were taught by you. How could I possibly beat you!"
Even as she said this, Hu Liena's movements showed no sign of stopping.
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